SOMEONE HIT MY PARKED CAR AND RUN AWAY. NOW WHAT?

By Boniface Sila

Hit and Runs are very common these days. As stated by Insurance Information Institute (III), approximately every 10 cases out 100 are Hit And Runs out of which 4 to 5 are Car Hit In a Parking Lot Cases. When it comes to insurance in such cases, it’s actually difficult especially when the accident is not witnessed.

What if after buying groceries, you headed towards your car in the parking lot and you found it damaged. Whom will you blame for the damage and who will recover for all that loss?

Here are some common steps which you should pursue while caught in such a situation?

Ask the people

The first thing which you should do is to ask the people standing nearby or if someone witnessed the accident. If there is no one, you can ask anyone in the parking lot like security guards. Tell them the whole story, how you found your car hit by someone and it has big nasty dents over it. Ask them for the next procedure like if they have cameras or anything that can assist you to catch the offender.

Collect the maximum information

Try to gather as much information about the incident as you can. If someone witnessed the incident, you can ask their names, addresses, phone numbers etc. You can also collect information about the culprit if you get the CCTV Camera Recordings.

Report the police about the accident

Do inform the police about the accident as soon as possible. The delay may lead to mask the culprit as well as proofs that you can get instantly with the assistance of police. Tell them about the extent of damage. Provide them with all the information which you have gathered. You can also take pictures and can use them as proofs. They will provide you a report number which will further help you while filing claim for damage that you have gone through.

Inform your Insurance Providers

This is mandatory to inform your Insurance agents about the accident within 24 hours if you want to file the claim and get coverage for the loss. If the driver of the vehicle which hit your car is not identified then your insurance company will pay for this claim under your own automobile insurance policy subject to your deductible. But if the driver is identified then it may be claimed under direct reimbursement without any deductibles under your insurance policy. For that, make sure that you are paying your premiums at best rates and timely.

Dear reader, in case you have any insurance question, feel free to ask me. I shall be responding to as many insurance questions as possible everyday.